Here's The Latest Outlook For Winter 2020 In PA

PENNSYLVANIA — So far, 2019 has brought a slight taste of winter weather but the New Year will begin on a mild note. What can Pennsylvania residents expect for the rest of the winter in 2020?

The first half of January appears to continue with mild temperatures, at least through Jan. 13, the National Weather Service predicts. That forecast is similar to that of the Weather Channel, which says Pennsylvania will experience above average temperatures for the whole month.

And it's not just a local trend: the Weather Channel says nearly the entire country will be warmer than normal in January.

"The only area where below average temperatures are anticipated in the first month of the year is from northern Montana into northern Idaho and far northeastern Washington,"the January outlook from the Weather Channel says.

The mild temperatures are due to a strong polar vortex, an area of low pressure over the poles, forecasters explain.

We hear a lot about polar vortexes in the winter, but usually associate the term with frigid cold snaps. But when the polar vortex is strong, the coldest air remains over the Arctic, the Weather Channel explains.

Don't get too excited: January is the coldest month of the year in Pennsylvania so you'll still have to bundle up despite the slightly warmer air.

Average high temperatures for January in Pennsylvania are in the 30s and average lows in the 20s.

The 10-day forecast for the region shows highs in the 40s and even 50s many days. The end of the first week of the year looks particularly mild but wet, with showers and temperatures in the mid-50s.

The forecast for January aligns with the The Old Farmer's Almanac long-range forecast released in the fall. The centuries-old forecaster, founded in 1792, is predicting Pennsylvania will have a "wet and wild" winter.

That prediction contradicts the forecast from the rival Farmers' Almanac, which says the upcoming winter will be colder than normal. The folks at the Farmers' Almanac are preparing for a "frosty, wet and white" winter season.

Both outfits use secret formulas to predict the weather that they keep closely guarded, and only time — and winter — will tell which one has it right.

According to the Farmers' Almanac, the coldest outbreak of the season should arrive during the final week of January and last through the beginning of February.

Over at The Old Farmer's Almanac, forecasters say winter 2020 in the U.S. will be remembered for storms that bring an unrelenting amount of rain, sleet and snow — including seven "big snowstorms" across the country.

The National Weather Service in October released the official government forecast for the winter, saying a warmer than normal season is expected in Pennsylvania.

Not a single section of the United States is expected to have colder than usual temperatures this winter, but some areas will experience more rain, the National Weather Service said in its outlook.

Even during a warmer than usual winter in Pennsylvania, though, periods of cold and snowfall are still possible.

Here is the current forecast for the Philadelphia region:

Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. West wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. West wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

New Year's Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41. West wind 9 to 16 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. West wind 3 to 7 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 47. West wind 3 to 7 mph.

Thursday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday: Rain. High near 50. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Friday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Saturday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Saturday night: A chance of showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 43.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41.